'Cuz special needs kids need special mamas!

I look around and there are so many moms that seem to have it all together. Their houses are clean, their kids are clean, they never lose their tempers or forget to put on make-up. They make up delicious recipes to serve their families every night of the week. And, of course, they eat at the kitchen table. Wow! They are so very balanced….or is it an act?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying they are lying. But, do they really have it all together? Or are they just skilled at painting a pretty picture?

I wonder if I look like this from the outside? LOL, probably not! But, I’m sure that the way I seem as a mom and the reality are definitely at odds.

For example, today Aiden and I slept in. On a Tuesday–for no real reason other than we could. I won’t say what time it was when we got out of bed- but lets just say that we didn’t make breakfast, and our first meal probably didn’t even qualify as “brunch”. I’ve run around all morning trying to make it look like I’ve actually been up since 7:30. I’ve cleaned my house, dressed my little toot and even got dressed myself (minus the make-up). If you walked in now to see a clean house with me “working” away on my laptop and my little man riding his motorcycle around the house…you would think we were balanced. And I would let you think that.

Of course I want you to think I’m a great wife and mother, a dedicated housekeeper and that I am making a mental list of ingredients for a new recipe (one that I came up with on my own, of course!) in my head right now. But, that’s not the reality.

The reality is this:

I stay up too late, and therefore sleep too late.

I speed-clean more than I deep clean.

Sometimes we eat Sloppy Joe’s for dinner.

Sometimes we don’t get dressed until after noon.

My son watches too much Nick Jr. most days.

Sometimes I have really bad days and even lose my patience with my precious little man.

I’m not perfect.

The reality is this. I am balanced. It’s not an act. I am a perfect mix of perfection and flaw. To my husband, I am the wife he needs to balance him. He doesn’t mind Hamburger Helper now and then, because we are balanced where it is important. We stand together, face a disease with no answers, protect our son as best we can and love and respect each other no matter what. Our son is happy, silly, smart and beautiful. To him, I am Mommy. Is there any greater honor than that?

I don’t need to win admiration from my fellow moms and I don’t care if you are appalled at my lack of schedule and gourmet menu selection.

This is my life. Beautiful, chaotic, blessed, cursed, balanced or not… this is no act. This is my life.

When I heard that my bloggy friend Theta Mom was restarting her “Time Out for Theta Mom Thursday” posts, I had to get in on the fun. You should too!

Here’s the scoop: Once a month (JUST ONCE A MONTH!!) we’re challenged to get out for one hour BY OURSELVES (what?!?) and do something just for us.

Now, before all the guilt comes pouring in on all us mom types–it’s just an hour–and boy do we EVER need it!

My “hour” actually turned in to 2 1/2 this week (YAY ME!) and I came home happy, relaxed and ready to dive back into my mommy & wifey duties with gusto! So this isn’t selfish “me time” –this is actually beneficial to the entire family. (pets included).

My wonderful mother-in-law (did I mention she lives with us? That’s a post of its own, y’all!) actually watched our little Toot for us and Daddy had his own Time-Out Time while I was having mine. He went to Lowe’s (Boooo!) and I escaped to the local bookstore with my laptop. I leisurely perused the books (with special attention to the writer’s section) bought a few magazines and sat in the book store café drinking a pumpkin spice latte (affectionately termed, PSL) while I abused their free wi-fi.